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Editor’s note: Ken Epps of Project Ploughshares has written a summary on the newly released report, the Export of Military Goods from Canada, 2012-2013. He will being doing a more detailed report for his organization in the new year.

By Ken Epps

Defence Watch Guest writer

At $1.04 billion, the total value of military goods exported by Canada in 2012 is the largest ever reported since official documentation began in 1991. The value for 2013, at $681 million, is significantly above the median value for annual exports of military goods.

As with all prior reports, the value of exports of military goods to the U.S. is not included in the report for both 2012 and 2013. Past reports have noted that Canadian military sales to the U.S. were likely equal to, or exceeded, sales to all other states combined, although the government was unable to report a U.S total because military exports to the U.S do not require permits. No such comment is included in the 2012-2013 report, likely because of the unprecedented total for 2012. The U.S. may remain the largest market for Canadian military goods, but 2012 may also mark a waning of the Pentagon’s singular importance for the Canadian arms industry.

Saudi Arabia was the largest reported purchaser of Canadian military goods for both 2012 and 2013, receiving $422.3-million and $152.8 million in each year respectively, a total of over $575-million for the two years. Shipments of “ground vehicles and components” dominated Saudi sales, with a combined total of nearly $529-million for the two years or about 92 per cent of all exports to Saudi Arabia. Based on recent media and industry reports, it is likely that most, if not all, of the ground vehicles shipped to Saudi Arabia were armoured vehicles built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS Canada) in London, Ontario.

As a region, the Middle East received the largest portion by value of Canada’s military exports in 2012. The regional total exceeded $704-million, more than three times the value of military exports to NATO countries ($217-million) for that year. The Middle East remained a significant recipient in 2013, receiving a total of almost $172-million, compared to a NATO total of almost $292-million.

The Middle East, and Saudi Arabia in particular, are likely to remain major recipients of Canadian arms for years to come. Multi-year contracts for the supply of armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia announced by GDLS Canada in February totaled almost $15-billion, suggesting future annual mean values of $1-billion over more than a decade. It is possible that, in the near term at least, Saudi Arabia will rival or even replace the U.S. as Canada’s largest arms customer and the Middle East – the world’s most heavily-armed and arguably most unstable region — will become the most economically important to the Canadian arms industry.

Meanwhile, the latest report reveals troubling exports of Canadian military goods to several states suffering armed conflict or where there were major human rights concerns. For the two years of the report, these included Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, India, Israel, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

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Just to note that 90 percent of the purchase are for vehicles not arms as the writer would like you to believe. Lines like "The Middle East, and Saudi Arabia in particular, are likely to remain major recipients of Canadian arms for years to come" is spreading it on a little thick...trucks do not equal weapons.

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Editor’s note: Ken Epps of Project Ploughshares has written a summary on the newly released report, the Export of Military Goods from Canada, 2012-2013. He will being doing a more detailed report for his organization in the new year.

By Ken Epps

Defence Watch Guest writer

At $1.04 billion, the total value of military goods exported by Canada in 2012 is the largest ever reported since official documentation began in 1991. The value for 2013, at $681 million, is significantly above the median value for annual exports of military goods.

As with all prior reports, the value of exports of military goods to the U.S. is not included in the report for both 2012 and 2013. Past reports have noted that Canadian military sales to the U.S. were likely equal to, or exceeded, sales to all other states combined, although the government was unable to report a U.S total because military exports to the U.S do not require permits. No such comment is included in the 2012-2013 report, likely because of the unprecedented total for 2012. The U.S. may remain the largest market for Canadian military goods, but 2012 may also mark a waning of the Pentagon’s singular importance for the Canadian arms industry.

Saudi Arabia was the largest reported purchaser of Canadian military goods for both 2012 and 2013, receiving $422.3-million and $152.8 million in each year respectively, a total of over $575-million for the two years. Shipments of “ground vehicles and components” dominated Saudi sales, with a combined total of nearly $529-million for the two years or about 92 per cent of all exports to Saudi Arabia. Based on recent media and industry reports, it is likely that most, if not all, of the ground vehicles shipped to Saudi Arabia were armoured vehicles built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS Canada) in London, Ontario.

As a region, the Middle East received the largest portion by value of Canada’s military exports in 2012. The regional total exceeded $704-million, more than three times the value of military exports to NATO countries ($217-million) for that year. The Middle East remained a significant recipient in 2013, receiving a total of almost $172-million, compared to a NATO total of almost $292-million.

The Middle East, and Saudi Arabia in particular, are likely to remain major recipients of Canadian arms for years to come. Multi-year contracts for the supply of armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia announced by GDLS Canada in February totaled almost $15-billion, suggesting future annual mean values of $1-billion over more than a decade. It is possible that, in the near term at least, Saudi Arabia will rival or even replace the U.S. as Canada’s largest arms customer and the Middle East – the world’s most heavily-armed and arguably most unstable region — will become the most economically important to the Canadian arms industry.

Meanwhile, the latest report reveals troubling exports of Canadian military goods to several states suffering armed conflict or where there were major human rights concerns. For the two years of the report, these included Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, India, Israel, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

Why would say so! How will Daesh be able to get their hands on those weapons. Saudi Arabia is a regional super power and has a well trained and sophistically equipped army. If a confrontation were to take place, Daesh will not be able to last a second.

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Weapons, unfortunately, do not an army make. And how do you know that the Saudi army is able to hold its own in a battle with the Daesh. When was the last time the Saudi army went to war? The Daesh is made up of war veterans who have been fighting daily for years. Has the Saudi army been fighting daily for years? I am not saying that I hope the Daesh will beat the Saudi army but we must be realistic when it comes to such things. Wishful thinking doesn't win wars. Battle-hardened troops on the ground win wars.

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As a Canadian, I'm kind of embarrassed that I was unaware of our nation's defense manufacturing industry! I always thought we had to import most of our arms and armaments with very little leaving the country. What are Canada's production strengths in regards to military hardware besides armored vehicles?